Youthful Exuberance?
by Inks Inc
Summary: "His blood was at boiling point to the degree that it was sloshing viciously against his eardrums. His expensive suit creased under the jerkiness of his irate movements." Harvey is once again at his wits end with his impulsive protege. Warning: Spanking. Completed.
1. Chapter 1

His blood was at boiling point to the degree that it was sloshing viciously like a wave against his eardrums. His expensive suit creased uncharacteristically under the jerkiness of his irate movements. The elite Italian leather shoes twisted this way and that as he marched around his office, muttering furiously and incoherently under his breath. Books were opened with a snarl and shut with a slam. Papers, inoffensive and inanimate, were cursed to the deepest darkest depths of hell. Donna, even Donna, didn't know what to do or say to placate him. Looking up at the approach of delicately tapping high heels, she smiled slightly at Jessica as she came to a graceful halt at her cubicle. The firm leader took one look at her unusually frenzied protégé and sighed.

"No improvement?"

Donna winced. "I think it's actually getting worse. He's been practically incomprehensible for the last hour. I don't even know what he's saying. He just keeps checking his cell and pacing. You're going to need to lay a new carpet at this rate." Jessica sighed, Harvey's worked up states were rare, but they were legendary. And she knew that nothing she or anyone could do or say would bring him down from his agitated high. The only thing that would calm him, would be to give him what he wanted. And…frankly, she didn't have Mike Ross to give. To Harvey or to anyone. The kid was off the grid, had been for just a day, and Harvey was acting like he was dead. He was carrying on as if the genius had been brutally murdered and no one gave a damn.

Except for him.

"Still no word from Mike then?"

Donna turned around with a paler than usual expression and Jessica raised a perfectly lined brow.

"There has been word?"

The redhead nodded with the now familiar sense of third party dread.

"Oh there's been word alright…Mike called. He got caught up at a party and didn't realise Harvey might have needed him over the weekend. He's been out of town with some old friends. Everything is fine with him. No need for concern." She glanced at Harvey. "Or maniacal pacing."

Jessica frowned in confusion.

"Then what's the problem? The kid is healthy and well, and he is entitled to do what he likes and go where he likes on the weekend. We don't actually own the associates. Any work to be done here this weekend was partner work, not associate. What's Harvey's problem?"

Donna knew, but also knew better than to appear to know.

"No idea," she lied smoothly, protecting her men, "You know how funny he can be about things." Jessica stared for a moment, flickering her gaze between Donna and Harvey before rolling her eyes. "Uh huh," she murmured dryly, "I do know how funny he can be, I half raised him. That lets me know there's something more than meets the eye going on around here." She glanced at Donna and thought quickly. "Do I even want to know?"

The auburn hair swept from side to side.

Jessica hesitated, but just for a moment.

"Well alrighty then, have at it. Anything gets out of hand though, and you call me. I don't need the blood of a fraud splattered on my walls, it would draw unwanted attention that I can do without. Do we have an agreement?" Donna considered briefly, before nodding. "We have an agreement." Smiling slightly, Jessica retuned the nod before striding down the hall. She didn't know whether or not to feel guilty about the humour she felt in Mike causing Harvey as much grief as he'd caused her. On the whole, she decided not.

Watching Jessica stalk down the corridor, Mike ducked out from behind the pillar he was ensconced behind. Donna, seeing the movement, glanced at him in shock before glaring at him in anger. She scurried over to throw him back behind his hiding spot. "What are you doing here?" she half hollered, "Go! He is _furious_ and you don't want him to see you now. What the hell were you thinking? How could you have been so stupid?" She stole a glance at Harvey, who was still striding around like a man possessed, muttering furiously all the while. "Leave, go now. He needs time to calm down before he sees you. Do not let anyone else in this building see you, you were never here. Leave, now."

Mike glanced at the glass panelled office and paled a deathly white.

"Donna, I need to explain. I can explain. I have about a hundred voicemails from him, if I put it off any longer he's going to _kill_ me." The long term secretary come life coach shook her head in agitation. "Listen to me Mike," she urged, her strong protective streak for the kid shining through. "You cannot be seen right now, I don't care if you have a thousand voicemails. He is doing his nut in there and you know why. I don't even know why I'm trying to protect you, you deserve whatever you're…" she trailed off and took a collecting breath. "Give him time to let off some steam. Call him tomorrow, just whatever you do, do _not be_ seen right now because-"

"MIKE?"

"Oh sweet suffering Lord," Donna murmured in horror as the jig was officially up. Mike stiffened beside her, his messenger back askew around his neck. "Alright," she sighed in horrified defeat, twisting around to see Harvey wrenching open the office door. The normally suave, collected and downright closed off lawyer was practically frothing at the mouth. She had about five seconds to advise Mike before he landed in front of the two of them. Taking a deep breath, she put her years of extensive Harvey training to use. "We'll go in together, and I'll do as much of the talking as I can. Because honestly, you seem to have lost your mind Mike…Mike?"

She turned back to her left, but the kid was gone.

One look at Harvey's face and he'd bolted.

…..

Two-Shot.

…..


	2. Chapter 2

Donna wondered briefly if Mike could start pretending to be a cadaver instead of a lawyer. It would be safer, ultimately, much safer. Then again if the smoke pouring out of Harvey's nostrils was anything to go by, Mike was a dead man regardless. She watched with the polished calm that only she could manage as he slowly opened his eyes and strove to steady himself. "Where has he gone? And don't think about covering for him Donna, I'm getting my hands on him either way. It's better for him if I don't have to search the alleys of New York before I do." That, she reasoned, was a pretty valid point. But she had to try. Besides, she had no idea where he'd gone. She'd no idea he was _going_ to go. But then again, she couldn't blame him. No one brought out the fire in Harvey like Mike did, didn't mean he should want to stick around and get burned.

Burned alive.

"I don't know where he's gone," she said truthfully, to Harvey's despair. "I really don't know. But what I do know is that you are in no condition to go and find him now. You'd kill him and-"

"He'd deserve it," Harvey growled.

"That may be true but that still wouldn't make it the right thing to do," Donna placated patiently. "He wouldn't have bolted in the first place if you didn't come out of there like Tywin Lannister on crack." Harvey took a momentary break from his rage to appear quizzical. Donna sighed. "Never mind. The point is, you terrified the poor boy. He knows he's in trouble Harvey, trust me. He knows. But there's no need to put the fear of God into him. You calm down and go home. He'll come to you." Harvey spluttered in ire. "He'll come to _me?_ " He cast her a withering look. "I don't know what you've been drinking at lunch Donna, but he'd rather throw himself in the stockade than come to me. I have to go and find him."

She shook her head with the patience of the saints running in her very veins.

"He will. I am Donna and I am all knowing. You leave here, now preferably. Go home and calm down. Listen to that god awful vinyl collection. Don't touch the booze. And he will arrive. Mike is his own worst enemy and his conscience won't let him stay away for too long. He'll need to face the music. He'll come. You don't need to go and look for him. You need to go home and be in a more appropriate frame of mind for when he finds you."

He stared at her uncertainly and silently for a moment.

Before realising she was right, as usual.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're annoying as all hell?"

She raised a perfectly manicured brow.

"Not anyone that's survived it. Would you like to try?"

Boss or no boss, he knew when to retreat. Shaking his head quickly, he held up his hands and backed away with a small smile on his face. No matter what happened, no matter what chaos descended, she always found a way through the carnage. Walking past her, he stopped to press a small kiss on her cheek that said all that he could not. Watching his retreating back with a mixture of exasperation and affection, Donna cast a silent request to the universe. She knew she was right about Mike, but still, a little outer worldly assistance couldn't hurt.

The matter was out of her hands now.

Mike stared miserably into his hastily ordered coffee in some shack that no one really knew existed. It wasn't far from the office, but it was in a part of town he was pretty sure Harvey had gone his whole life without knowing even existed. He felt safe there, but he knew he wasn't safe. Knew he'd screwed up beyond forgiveness this time. His cell was eerily silent. Harvey had stopped calling. As awful as all those unanswered calls had been, their absence seemed to loom large, forecasting his demise. His head was pounding and his palms were clammy. He wanted to go home, to curl into the foetal position and pretend that he didn't even exist. But…he couldn't. That would be admitting defeat.

He didn't know what to do.

Neither, not that he knew it, did Harvey.

Storming through the door of his penthouse apartment he yanked off his tie and threw it carelessly on the sofa. Donna's calming presence was leaving him with every breath and he was once again being consumed by rage. Before he knew what he was doing he was uncorking his outrageously expensive scotch and was inhaling the woody scent with relief. As he reached for a tumbler his consciousness sparked and he sighed. Corking the bottle with a snap, he shoved it back into position and begrudgingly set about making some coffee. If Donna were right, he couldn't be drunk when Mike showed up. He didn't own a gun, but he was pretty sure he'd find some way to shoot him.

At point blank range.

Unbuttoning his collar, kicking off his shoes and rolling up his sleeves he slumped onto the sofa. Ignoring the obnoxiously large flat screen in front of him he resiliently stared into nothingness. His jaw line continued to twitch with ire the deeper he thought. A small part of him knew that he was supposed to be cooling off and that obsessing on what had happened wasn't the way to go. Unfortunately that small part was bodily consumed by the burning anger in his gut. He could _kill_ him. Ok, maybe not kill as in snuff out all life form. But he could definitely go with disabling that life form for a bit. At least he wouldn't have to worry about where the damned kid was. Of course, he shouldn't _have_ to worry about where he was. He should be able to say, "don't go here," and be assured that he would in fact, not go there.

But oh no. Oh no oh no.

It was never going to be that simple with Michael Ross.

Never.

He'd told him, he'd told him in no uncertain terms. Do not go to Baltimore. Do not interview the potential jail house snitch. Do not get involved. The case was beginning into the criminal realm, the organised criminal realm, and out of the corporate. The firm needed money. Things were in flux. They needed a cash cow. Not a conscience cleanser. They would bump the case over to the DA's office and wash their hands. It was too messy, too time consuming, too cheap. Of course Mike had hummed and hawed like a frigging mare in heat. His social conscience burning. They had deep pockets and were better able to assist the widespread victim pool of the organised Ponzi scheme. The DA's office would just go for the conviction, the boost to their ratings. They wouldn't seek financial recompense for the victims.

Harvey had argued with him.

For what felt like an eternity. But it had been worth it, or so he'd thought. Because he'd left his office, albeit in a temper with Mike's borderline petulant insubordination with a promise. The kid had looked him in the eyes and sworn down that he would back off. That he would support Harvey's decision to turn the case over to the DA. More importantly, that he would forgot all plans to meet the snitch they had tentatively sought out. He wouldn't step foot in Baltimore, he wouldn't dream of it.

But he had.

And he did.

And is if that weren't bad enough, Harvey had had to hear about it through a friend of a friend. The kid should have known he knew people everywhere. A concerned guard at the prison had called him after Mike had presented his business card. The business card that proclaimed Harvey as his supervising partner. The sort of card that just screamed "rookie." The guard, to Harvey's undying gratitude had called. But he'd been too late. The snitch as it turned out had a propensity for violence. Particularly when called a snitch, or snitch-like insinuations were made. Especially when snitch-like insinuations were made with a plea for the convict to _do the right thing._

Harvey's nostrils flailed.

The kid was a genius.

But he was also a moron.

Mike had taken a punch to the gut before the guards had sprung into action. Spluttering for breath and searching pointlessly for his dignity, the young associate had fled the prison he had no business being in without a backwards glance. But not before he had caught a glimpse of the guard who had dubiously checked him in scanning his business card for a number and not before his suspicions sunk in. The guy knew Harvey. Because no matter where he went, everybody knew Harvey. It was much as curse as it was a blessing. And so Mike had fled. Fled in the knowledge that he made a fool of himself, broken a promise to the one person who'd risked it all for him. Fled in the knowledge that there was a high probability said person was receiving a highly unpleasant phone call as he sped through the seedy prison gates.

Harvey saw it all unfold in his mind's eye and felt his pulse quicken with ire once more.

The stupid brat could have been killed.

Mauled in a prison that he had no idea of.

All because he couldn't understand the word "no."

The sunlight had dipped off from the wide windows as he had brooded and he realised with a jolt two hours had passed and he was clutching a stone cold cup of coffee. For the first time, Donna was wrong. Mike wasn't coming. Why would he? Why would the kid who went out of his way to break every boundary imaginable voluntarily come to atone for doing just that. It didn't make sense and so it wouldn't happen. He had been foolish to think it would. Foolish to put more trust in the boy who routinely threw it back in his face. Setting the cup down on the coffee table he heaved himself up with a sigh, deciding it was time for that scotch. For the second time that evening, his hand rested upon the soothing liquor.

And he again had no choice but to take it away.

The knock on the door was borderline mute. It was hesitant and abrupt all at the same time. Standing up straighter, Harvey studied the door silently for a moment, his eyes narrowed. After a moment, he strode swiftly to it and wrenched it open. Leaning in the doorframe, he crossed his arms across his chest and allowed the sparks of rage to freely radiate from him into the hallway. "Well well well," he said quietly, "Look what the cat dragged in." He allowed a terrifyingly calm expression to cross his face as he stood stiff as a poker.

"And what can I do for you?"

Mike swallowed.

His forehead was coated in a sheen of nervous perspiration. His tie was askew, his face was flushed and all in all, he looked like hell. Taking a deep breath, he looked up into Harvey's face and steadied himself.

"I want to make this right."

…

A/N: One more chapter.

…


	3. Chapter 3

Harvey let him wait. The kid had kept him waiting for hours, days, and entire weekends. Let him sweat. Let him feel the sting of his eyes in his soul. Disappointment and anger freely tempered his face as he stared at his clearly very sorry reprobate. He forcefully pushed away that maddeningly frequent urge to ruffle the kid's hair and tell him it was all gonna be alright. But it was hard. Mike had the kind of eyes that you see on adopt-a-dog billboards. Big and deep and full of pleas for understanding. He sighed and opened the door wider still.

"Get yourself in here then and get yourself nose-first into the corner. I trust you remember the one?"

Without waiting to ensure compliance, he turned and stalked off towards his bedroom leaving Mike to close the front door with trembling fingers. The regret and apprehension he felt was strong but it wasn't entirely strong enough to block out the mortification he felt at Harvey's command. He'd been stood in the aforementioned corner more times than his eidetic memory would allow him to forget. It was beyond embarrassing. But Harvey had this thing about giving him time to think. Because, obviously, staring at a wall really enhanced the cognitive process. Mike had made the mistake of informing Harvey waspishly as to his flawed thinking once before. He could still taste the medicated soap in his mouth anytime he thought about it.

He leant his forehead against the cool wall in chagrin as he stood uncomfortably in the allotted corner.

Harvey shook his head and muttered under his breath as he rooted through his drawers. That damned kid annoyed him so much he ought to just strangle him and have done with it. He never listened, never did as he told him and never did things the easy way. Always the damned hard way. Reefing out a pair of sweats that had shrunk in the wash when he had disastrously tried to do his own laundry, he grabbed one of his smallest t-shirts and shut the drawer. Taking a moment to remind himself that he might be the best lawyer he'd ever met, but even he wasn't going to actually get away with murder.

The kid would have to live, at least for now.

Striding back into the living room he was partially mollified when he saw Mike was where he had told him to be. He couldn't help but be reminded of the time the kid, when in serious as shit trouble as it was, decided to backchat him about his _barbarian methods._ God, he was a piece of work. Rubbing a hand across his eyes, he stormed over to him with all the attention of yanking him out with the gentleness of a killer whale. But as usual when he got close enough to see the bowed head, the slumped shoulders and feel the misery that popped off the rookie, he melted. Putting a gentle hand on the skinny shoulder, he cleared his throat.

"Come out of there and look at me, Mike."

Slowly the young sort-of-lawyer did as he was bid. His blue eyes were rounded into that maddening beagle-like stare and he stood as if waiting to be whacked on the nose with a newspaper. Harvey groaned internally. How did he always do this? How did he always put on those eyes and close the best closer imaginable? Damned kid. "How long have you been in those rags of clothes?" he heard himself saying, pleased at least that he managed to sound pissed and stern. Mike glanced down at his attire in confusion. He didn't see anything wrong with it. Of course he didn't. He'd be happy to come to work dressed in the rejects from Target's end of year sale.

"They are stuck to you with sweat," Harvey pointed out as patiently as he could. Thrusting the soft pile of clothes as the surprised associate, he quirked a brow. "Go and take a shower. A _thorough_ shower. Change into those." He fought a flush. "There's clean…undergarments in the top drawer of the cream cabinet." He gave Mike a gentle push to cover the moment. "Go. Wash. You're not coming into my apartment with street disease and dandruff all over you. No doubt you were too busy ignoring my calls over the weekend to bathe. We'll come back to that, but for now…you're going to go and delouse yourself."

He pointed to the bathroom firmly when he saw Mike about to argue. "You can do it with or without a sore ass. Entirely your call." Apparently learning when and how to pick his battles, the kid nodded with only a trace of churlishness and disappeared into the bathroom. When he heard the water running, Harvey collapsed onto the sofa and tiredly rubbed his eyes. Why couldn't he just have a nice, well mannered, well behaved associate? Like every other associate at the firm was. Why couldn't he have one like that?

He knew why.

He couldn't have one like that because he'd chosen one like him. A back-chatting, boundary-less know-it-all with a penchant for cheek and trouble. Not for the first time since he'd taken Mike under his wing, he felt a stab of guilt for all he had put Jessica through. It was an entirely exhausting experience trying to keep that kid on the straight and narrow. He took some comfort in the fact that Mike was an updated and upgraded version of him. He'd never been quite as taxing as he was. Of course Jessica said different, but she just enjoyed standing back and watching him struggle to control the brat. She called it karma or something equally ridiculous. When the water turned off far too prematurely, Harvey wondered if it were possible to pass away from sheer exasperation.

"I said a _thorough_ wash," he hollered in undignified irritation, "Do _not_ make me come in there."

Silence.

The water stared up again in earnest.

 _Ragamuffin,_ he muttered under his breath. He twisted to lay down on the sofa, staring moodily up at the ceiling. His expensive suit creased around him. Well, his "pimp" waistcoat as Mike called it. He'd already thrown off his jacket and shoes. The water continued to run and he continued to brood. He was still murderously furious but in that controlled, purposeful way he had long since mastered. Like when he was about to close a killer deal with someone he'd just as happily punch in the face instead. Sighing as he stared up at the expansive ceiling he wished fervently for a quiet life. He could always deal with Mike in the orthodox, traditional way.

Write him up, suspend him, the works.

His nose instantly wrinkled in distaste. Leaving aside the fact that using those methods could expose the kid…they just _felt_ wrong. There was a sudden movement at the door behind him and he twisted his head around. No matter how small he'd selected the t-shirt it still swam on Mike. The sweats at least had been sufficiently shrunk to fit him. Sitting up slowly as a damp and tousled hair rookie padded slowly into the room, Harvey sighed. He should have let him stay in the ratty ass suit. The way he looked now…was just making things ever harder.

"Cool shower. Really…clean."

Harvey snorted. He couldn't help it. "Uh huh, that's the whole idea," he drawled. Pointing at the spot in front of him he leaned back on the sofa and crossed his arms behind his head. "Come here." With very great reluctance Mike shuffled slowly forwards, pushing his fringe out of his eyes. Harvey held up a halting hand when he was where he wanted him and quirked a brow.

"Good. Now you can just stand right there and explain yourself."

Mike blinked and the suddenness and bluntness of the command. Usually Harvey would launch into a drawling diatribe before he would be forced to contribute anything to the conversation. His surprise must have been apparent because Harvey's narrowed gaze got a whole lot narrower. "Do you still speak English? I haven't seen you in a while so of course, things could have changed. But I'm pretty sure you remember that I sure as hell don't like to be kept waiting."

He glowered.

"So unless you're waiting for a damned translator to walk in that door, you better start talking."

Mike gulped.

"I know it doesn't look good…but I never meant for all this to happen Harvey, I swear I didn't. And I know you told me not to and I know I promised I wouldn't…but…I just couldn't help it. Those people had lost their entire life savings. You know as well as I do the DA's office only cares about this case because it's an election year, not because of those people. They'd never see a cent back. I just thought if I went to Baltimore and asked just a few questions I might be able to gain even a grain of leverage over the…over the…."

He trailed off.

The murderous expression on Harvey's face suddenly ceased his ability to multitask.

The elder of the two let the tension rise until even the beads of sweat at Mike's temples were afraid to fall. "Let me get this straight. And do give me a moment, won't you? To get this straight? I know I'm much older and arguably much cleverer than you are, but you would appear to know it all and therefore I'll need some time to play catch up. So you're standing there and telling me that the reason you blatantly disobeyed me, lied to me and put your scrawny neck on the line is…you wanted warm and fuzzies?"

He raised a beautifully curved brow and smiled a horrendously sweet smile of invitation.

"Am I missing something there? Or is that actually what you're telling me?"

"Well…well I don't know if I'd phrase it quite like that," Mike gabbled, painfully aware that he was losing his composure at a galloping rate. "What I mean is….well _someone_ had to do _something_ didn't they? I know I promised I wouldn't go there and I know the firm is going through a bit of a cash crunch, but I didn't think a few associate hours were going to burst the bank. I just couldn't stand there with my mouth open when honest people lost everything they'd ever worked for. It's not right Harvey, you can't say it's right. We could have got something back for them, anything back for them but you wouldn't let me…you wouldn't even hear me out…."

He gulped.

"I guess you could say I sorta went a bit maverick…."

He shrugged with a pained and failed attempt at sheepishness.

"I mean who hasn't, right?"

Harvey slowly unfurled himself, reminding Mike painfully of a documentary he'd watched about the litheness of deadly panthers. He strove to keep his bowel movements internal as his boss moved slowly towards him. When they were nearly close enough for Mike to reach up and kiss the seething lawyer, he let out a hysterical giggle at the thoughts of Harvey's face if he did. He quickly choked on that laughter when the flash of rage shot across the dark eyes.

"You think this is funny Mike?"

Before the question could be answered, Harvey's voice rose slightly and filled the room.

"Because I sure as shit don't find any of this funny. I don't find lying to Jessica even more than I have to for you, funny. I don't find you breaking your word to me when I've broken my back trying to teach you the value of a man's word, funny. I don't find you putting your skinny tie wearing ass in a jail where the meekest of inmates would eat you for breakfast, funny. And I sure as all manner of hell do not find you running out of the office like a bat out of hell, _funny."_ He glowered. "Have I made myself clear on what I do and do not find funny?" Mike had never been clearer on anything in his life as he nodded his head vigorously. Harvey looked like he wanted to say something more for a moment before sighing a withering sigh and jerking his head downwards.

"I don't want to hear any more. Drop the sweats. You're in for it, alright? You're in for it. I've had it with the crusades, you're done. There is no justification for what you did. I'm all for helping people when we can Mike, but there comes a point when he have to run the firm like a business. You're either in that firm or you're not. You don't get to pick and choose when to do what's best for it or when to listen to me. I've had it with never knowing if you're going to do as I damned well tell you. I mean it, I'm not listening to your excuses or your bleeding hearts campaign anymore. I give you directions, you follow. It's very simple. Until you take over my office, that's the way it's going to be. I could easily fire your ass for this but I think setting it on fire will teach you a much better lesson."

He jerked his head downwards once more.

"Get them down."

Mike paled.

"Please Harvey…c'mon man, no-one else in the whole world does this. Why can't you just yell at me and write me up like every other partner?" Harvey's eyes narrowed at his words and Mike instantly regretted speaking them. "You want me to yell and write you up?" the elder of the two repeated slowly and with terrifying calmness. "Because if that's what you want me to do Mike, that's what I'll do. No problem." He spread his arms wide and even managed a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Would you like to have your chance to record your side of events? Because that's your right you know, for a write up. You can even have someone argue your case for you. Is that what you want?"

He snapped his fingers, sardonically stricken by the obvious elephant in the room.

"Of course, if I do write you up, Jessica will have to sign off. Jessica will be very angry. When Jessica is very angry she gets very inquisitive. She'll demand to know why I can't control you, where the hell did I find you? She'll want to know are you a good kid that's following what she'll consider to be my bad lead or are you a maverick that we should never have hired in the first place. When she's done yelling at me and yelling at you, she'll make a few calls to a few people in Boston."

He stared at the realisation that was crossing Mike's face with base level to negligible sympathy.

"Do you see where this is going, oh gifted one?"

The ashen kid gulped with a nod. "I see where it's going." He shifted guiltily on the spot and stared at the floor. "I'm sorry." Harvey did his best not to soften that maddening softness at the crushed look on the boy's face. Closing his eyes wearily he pushed himself to just get it done. "Contrary to what you might think Mike, I don't enjoy coming down on you. You think this is how I want to spend my night? Laying into you? Cos it's not Mike, it's really not. If I _could_ yell at you and write you up, I would. But you know why I can't. Besides…that shit can really impact your career. Partners take notice of things like that, believe me. I know the way I handle things hurts, but then it's over. It's done and we never have to go back there again. So would you please…just don't fight me on this."

He allowed a slight sheen of softness enter his eyes.

"You can't keep disobeying me Mike. It's dangerous for you. You need to learn that no means no."

The rookie managed to look up and maintain eye contact as he nodded slowly but in surety.

"I know. I'm sorry I lied to you and that I broke my word. You said there was nothing we could do and it turns out, there is nothing we can do. I should've listened to you but I thought that you just didn't give a damn about those people but I was wrong." He ran a hand through his wet and messy hair and sighed. "I'm such a screw up, you'd be better off picking anyone else out of the associate pool to work for you. They're all dying for the chance and then you wouldn't have to bother wasting your time on someone like me and …ow….Harvey, ow!"

The six smacks shrieked around the room as they landed with force and speed.

Letting his maddening charge go as quickly as he'd grabbed him, Harvey raised a brow over the spluttering indignation. "You are not a screw up. You ever offer me someone moron out of the associate pool again and I'll have you on janitorial duty in that bullpen for a month. I can have whatever associate I want and for my sins, I apparently want you. And I definitely would never want a screw up. You're just someone who doesn't like doing what they're told and thankfully I have just the cure for that."

He looked down once more at the offensively still in place sweats and stared meaningfully.

"Am I really going to have to tell you again?"

With a deadening feeling spreading into his vital organs, Mike shook his head. "Good," Harvey praised quietly, before spinning on his heel and taking an all too familiar seat on the all too familiar sofa. He spoke no more, merely waiting expectantly. It took all Mike's available courage to walk slowly to his side and with a deep breath, to push his borrowed pants down to his knees. He didn't have to deal with the mortification of putting himself over Harvey's awaiting knee, because the closer kindly did it for him with extreme ease and speed. Blinking in surprise and horror as his boxers were pulled swiftly down to meet his sweats, Mike groaned when the tight hand wrapped around his waist.

"I'd save your sounds of discontent for later kid, you're gonna need them."

Before he could weigh the pros and cons of issuing a barbed retort, the wind was taken out of Mike's lungs. He gasped despite himself as a burst of pain flared in his neurons. Harvey had spanked him many a time but he rarely took away the protection of clothing so early and he rarely started with such an intense swat. The skin under attack seemed to almost bubble with heat as it's pale surrounds presented an unlimited target. The second, third and fourth swats carried the same intensity and Mike just couldn't' help the surprised gasps they elicited from him.

"I told you that you were in for it and I meant it Mike," Harvey said with an odd balance of sternness and sadness. "This had better be the last time I have to do this because you don't like the word no. Because if it's not…then I'm going to start thinking that my hand alone isn't doing the trick." This statement was accompanied by rhythmic swats and was the last Harvey would speak until it was over. Screwing his eyes up tight, Mike tried to remain as stoic as possible and take his punishment with minimal fuss. But it was a battle he always lost and this was definitely no exception. His ass was burning furiously and he knew his upper thighs were next in line for the same degree of heat. He didn't try and squirm away, his guilt keeping him in place. Not that it mattered much, Harvey's grip meant he was going nowhere until he decided he was going somewhere.

It wasn't long before his face that pressed into the sofa cushion was coated with quiet tears.

It wasn't long after that that his quiet crying became not so quiet crying and Harvey's soul hurt.

He knew he was being as hard as nails on the kid and that he was really hurting. But he had to. He had to put an end to the maverick streak. Mike was no ordinary associate and he couldn't afford to draw the attention of the higher ups and if a sore ass was the cure to that problem, then so be it. But he couldn't deny that his heart was heavy when the whimpered and muffled "I'm sorry…please stop….Harvey, please…" wafted up from the cushion his reprobates face was mussed into. Taking a deep breath, he removed his hand from around his waist and carded it lightly through the tousled hair. He didn't speak but his touch was comfort enough and he felt Mike loose a tiny bit of tension in response. Swallowing with reluctance, he eventually replaced the hand around the kid's waist and continued the unpleasant task of imparting an unpleasant lesson.

The room sung with the soul crushing sound of hand to skin and Mike's reciprocal yowls.

By the time Harvey snapped his hand down for the last time, the kid was limp with misery.

The hand that had caused the pain was rubbing gently along the small of Mike's back and Harvey was speaking softly but loudly enough to be heard over the muted sobbing. "I know that was tough. I know that hurt and I know that you're in pain. But I also know that as mad as I was when you walked in here, I'm just as proud now." He sighed and reaching up, he mussed the kid's hair fondly. "You're ok now, it's done. Just breathe for me. C'mon now Mikey, just breathe." The soft hand and the very rare use of his affectionate nickname was a bizarre salve for the pain radiating in his ass and Mike slowly regained control over himself. He didn't move and Harvey didn't expect him to as he swiped a hand across his wet and red eyes and took in a deep breath.

Before slowly pulling himself up with a pronounced hiss and wince.

Harvey immediately averted his eyes and sprang up and into the kitchen, taking his time in retrieving a bottled water. When he slowly came back, the kid was dressed and swiping another hand across his eyes. Accepting the cold bottle he looked up at the fondly staring Harvey and spoke in a watery voice. "Can I put this on my ass?" Staring incredulously for a moment, the elder of the two snorted in laughter and shook his head. "No you sure as hell can't," he scolded in feigned exasperation, relief soaring in his gut as it always did that he and the genius were ok. He watched as Mike gulped down the water instead and saw the sleepiness gather in his eyes. He opened his mouth to suggest some food, but the kid beat him to.

"I won't ever do something like this again. I promise. I got it, no more maverick Mike."

Harvey stared for a moment before rolling his eyes at the small grin forming at the boy's mouth.

"No."

The younger lawyer grinned a little more, his red eyes beginning to regain their usual bounce.

"No what?"

Harvey stared knowingly. "That is _not_ going to be a nickname. I am not calling you that. No way, no how." The pout that instantly appeared confirmed Harvey's suspicions. Shaking his head with a grin, he suddenly reached out and pulled the kid into his chest and smiled over his shoulder when he melted into the embrace. Rubbing a hand through the back of his hair, he squeezed him a little tighter. "You ok, Mikey?" He couldn't see the sleepy smile but he could feel it as the sandy brown head nodded. "I'm fine Harvey, I'm fine." Releasing the boy with relief at his words, it was Harvey's turn to nod.

"I suppose I have to feed you now?"

The grin that lit up the face was worth every moment of aggravation the boy caused him.

"Pizza?"

Harvey pulled a face.

"Again? There's an amazing Indian place that delivers here, they make the most amazing-"

"Yeah, but we're having pizza."

Raising both brows at the kid, Harvey sighed and admitted defeat. "I dunno how you're not three hundred pounds. All you ever eat is pizza. You wouldn't know good food if it danced in front of you, I swear to god you're-"

"Don't forget the extra pepperoni."

Harvey tried and failed to glower. "Do we need to have that conversation about you interrupting me all the time again? Because if we do-"

"And don't forget to ask for stuffed crust."

Harvey threw his hands in the air in defeat and shooed Mike away with an exasperated and hidden smile.

"You'll get unstuffed crust and you'll like it."

Mike snorted as he went.

"We both know you're going to get me the stuffed crust."

Harvey stared incredulously at his back and shook his head. On the one hand, he was extremely glad the kid bounced back from a whupping as quickly as he did but on the other…a contrite and well mannered Mike sure would be nice from time to time. Punching a number into his cell, he rooted out plates and glasses.

"Hi, can I get a stuffed crust-"

He closed his eyes in amused defeat as the victory laden voice wafted out from behind him.

"I told you I'd get it!"

…..

A/N: Fin! Hope you enjoyed!

_Inks

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